Liopleurodon (Painted) (British Museum of Natural History by Invicta)

Whenever a line of toys gets a complete set of reviews on the Dinosaur Toy Blog, I consider it a milestone. This has happened many times over the years and in my opinion, it heightens the value of the blog and its usefulness as a resource. Although YouTube reviews have added stiff competition over the last few years how many channels can claim to have reviewed the entire Carnegie, Battat, or Invicta collections? In the case of Invicta, the blog achieved that milestone in July of 2016, with Takama’s review of the Invicta Ichthyosaurus. But wait! Not so fast! Believe it or not, there are still Invicta toys left to review. For you see, Invicta released their toys in both monochrome and painted versions. And while every Invicta figure has a presence on the blog, both versions do not. Some reviews are for one or the other, or both. There’s still work to be done!

I only really collect monochrome Invicta figures but when I see a painted version for a decent price I don’t turn my nose up at it. In the case of Liopleurodon the painted version is the only one I have, for now. The monochrome version was reviewed in 2009, during the blog’s infancy. It received high praise in that review, where it was proclaimed by Cordylus to be the best pliosaur figure ever made (though with the suggestion that Safari’s might usurp it). Fifteen years later I’m ready to make the same proclamation. Although better pliosaur figures have been released since then, they’re almost all Kronosaurus, as far as Liopleurodon goes I think Invicta’s is still the best, 35 years after its release!

In terms of accuracy the look of Liopleurodon has not changed much since this figure was last reviewed, or since it was released for that matter. The only difference you might notice on a modern reconstruction is the addition of a fluke on the tail. Aside from that the figure illustrates the broad flat body, long flattened skull, and short neck and tail of Liopleurodon rather well.  The rear flippers are slightly larger and thicker than those in the front. On the head the teeth of varying sizes are exposed, and the nostrils are placed far back on the snout and atop the head.

The Invicta Liopleurodon measures about 8.75” (22.22 cm) long while the actual Liopleurodon is stated on the belly to have reached 26’ (8 meters) which puts the toy at 1/35 in scale, the scale that most Invicta toys were produced in.

The figure is in a static posture but still exhibits grace and elegance in its simple pose, with the head tilted upwards and looking rightward, the flippers swept back, and the tail bending leftward. That the mouth is closed adds a lot of appeal, though maybe not in the eyes of children 35 years ago. The figure is mostly sleek and smooth, but the jaw musculature is well defined and there are skin folds along the neck and limb joints.

That it is painted is not the only aspect of this toy that differs from its monochrome version. It is also rubbery rather than stiff and my copy is a bit sticky too. Mine also came with a Boley brand tag. I’ve seen those tags on dollar store dinosaurs and feared I had a bootleg at first (it’s not)! The paintjob is one of the better ones in the Invicta line with the figure being teal colored dorsally and cream colored on the underside. Cream colored speckles overlap the teal along the flanks. The eyes are black with dots of white eyeshine, and the teeth are white.

Invicta apparently started painting their figures to compete with the Carnegie Collection, but I’ve always preferred the monochrome figures, and I don’t think that’s an unpopular opinion. A lot of Invicta’s lovely fine details get lost in their often-garish paintjobs. Although the paintjob is decent on this one the paint application on the teeth is poor and ends up obscuring much of the fine details along the mouth.

In terms of fine detail and achieving a modern aesthetic, the Safari Ltd. Liopleurodon is probably the best around, but like Invicta’s it is also missing the tail fluke that pliosaurs are now thought to have had. So, where accuracy is concerned, they’re on equal ground. But what Safari’s figure doesn’t have is the level of elegance and fluidity of movement that makes the Invicta Liopleurodon look like a living animal and a one-of-a-kind figure that is in my opinion, still the best figure of the Liopleurodon.